Alex,

I recently came across this and think it is a wonderful piece. I really think that great portraits seem to successfully combine form with content. What struck me about the painting was the way that you had used angles to give some very nice perceptual interplays. This manipulation of space is a very "architectural" concept and so appropriate for representing you father.

Alex,

Beautiful job. And what a great experience for you - travelling to Estonia for the presentation.

That face is so ALIVE!

David

Speaking of this---

Clive, I am very flattered that you see this in my work because I think you are a master of these things (see my blurb on your portrait).

Thank you!

David, thank you, I really appreciate your comment about the face. It was a challenge getting it to come alive. I think having a very detailed reference material and supplementing it with actual living models who are relatives helped a lot!

The trip was amazing! Here we are standing on the edge of the Baltic Sea in the sleet.

Alex,
how fortunate you are having such an inspiring family, and you being able to create the beautiful portraits, to save the remembrance of your parents, makes it just perfect.
And again, I like the areal perspective. :thumbsup:

Allan, thank you for your nice comments on the portrait--and also for your positive (aerial?) perspective on my family, which I will keep in mind.

When we were driving through the Estonian countryside and also down to Riga along the coast, I was reminded of your photos of the view from your house, especially the angle of the light, and the landscape of fields, woods, and water. Is there really a similarity, or is it my imagination?

Alex,
the similarity to the Danish countryside might well be close. I have never been in Estonia but know that thatching reeds are cut there and imported to Denmark. We also got our flag from Estonia.
The Danish king, Valdemar Sejr led a campaign in Estonia in 1219, and in a battle, when he was in trouble, the flag fell from the sky and the danish won - at least the flag, "Dannebrog".

Oh, that's an interesting bit of history. I was reading the history in the guidebooks so I would know something when I was visiting these places, and I remember reading something about the Danes in Tallinn. There were so many different people fighting over Estonia, I found it very hard to keep track of the different invasions.

Alex--

I'm late to the party, been so busy lately... but still wanted to congratulate you on this portrait which captures so much personality, joy and humor. Clearly a labor of love.

Thank you, Terri! :D